PM facing tough week of revolt

The federal government is set for a bruising week in which internal divisions are likely to grow as Labor struggles to salvage its credibility on border ­protection, weathers the ­carbon tax debate and faces intensifying questions over Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
’s judgment.

The latest questions about Ms Gillard’s political management have been sparked by her announcement of plans for a jobs summit, to be held immediately after the tax forum next month.

The decision to convene a meeting of business, trade union, government representatives and experts on the labour market was announced by the Prime Minister without any cabinet discussion.

Senior figures in the Labor Party have expressed dismay about what they fear will become a platform for critics of the government’s industry policies and its failure to do enough to assist the country’s ailing manufacturing industries.

Ms Gillard announced the one-day jobs summit following trade union anger over her refusal to establish an inquiry into the crisis facing the manufacturing sector.

This followed a series of high-profile layoffs from major manufacturers, including 1000 jobs at BlueScope’s Port Kembla steelworks in NSW.

“The shit sandwich just goes on getting bigger," a senior government MP said yesterday.

Federal Parliament resumes this week before a two- week break.

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Labor MPs had hoped the introduction into Parliament last week of the climate change legislation and the chance for the government to go on the political offensive might start to turn around Ms Gillard’s standing in the polls and stabilise Labor’s crumbling support base.

But these hopes appear likely to be dashed this week with the government facing the prospect of being left without a credible border protection policy.

The opposition is now certain to decide to vote against the government’s Migration Act amendments to allow the refugee swap deal with Malaysia to go ahead – a decision which will intensify the bitter ­border protection debate.

Senior government sources conceded that the most likely outcome from the government’s failed attempt to bluff Opposition Leader
Tony Abbott
into supporting the amendments to the Migration Act would be that all asylum seekers arriving by boat would have to be processed onshore in Australia.

Ms Gillard will try again this morning to convince Mr Abbott to back the amendments, but opposition sources indicated last night that they saw no reason for the Coalition to “get the Prime Minister off the hook".

Ms Gillard also has to deal with increasing unrest in her own ranks over the government’s amendments, which the Labor Left says would clearly breach Australia’s international human right obligations.

Cabinet has discussed the risks of trying to force Mr Abbott to back the amendments.

Ministers hope they can convince the public to blame Mr Abbott for the collapse of a legal basis for offshore processing.

But ministers concede that this may backfire badly, leaving the perception that the government is incapable of managing the nation’s borders.

The government can ill afford further damage to its standing on this issue and any further erosion of the polls will intensify pressure on Ms Gillard’s leadership.

Foreign Minister
Kevin Rudd
, who on Friday ruled out a return to the prime ministership, will be absent from Parliament this week. He has recovered from his heart surgery and is in the United States for a number of key meetings.

Had Mr Rudd returned to his seat on the government front bench in Parliament after a two-month absence, he would have been a sitting target for the opposition to stir the leadership issue.

Mr Rudd will be compelled to wait to return to Parliament until its sittings resume on October 11, when the carbon tax legislation is likely to be voted on. But before that, Ms Gillard will host the government’s tax forum which will create another set of political problems for the government.